From the Office of Marty Walt

Are you looking to host a company Christmas party? If so, keep the "Merry" in Merry Christmas by checking with us regarding your insurance coverage. Many businesses host an annual Christmas party as do many civic groups, clubs and organizations, not to mention schools and church groups. "Special Events Accident & Liability Insurance" is explicitly crafted to eliminate the financial burden you can incur as the direct result of expensive medical bills or civil litigation. Choices Insurance is capable of customizing accident and liability policies for your Christmas Party that will cover everything from Santa Claus and his merry little elves to all the family guests and their children.

Following a few, simple fire safety tips can keep electric lights, candles and the ever popular Christmas tree from creating a tragedy, according to U.S. Fire Administration officials. USFA is an entity of the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

In December 1908, the insurance industry declared war on Christmas. The New York Board of Underwriters issued an announcement to every client of every fire-insurance firm in the city.

It read:

Your attention is hereby respectfully called to the fact that the introduction about the premises of Christmas green, harvest specimens and other inflammable materials, such as cotton, to represent snow, and the like, and the use of moving picture machines, introduces additional hazard not contemplated by the underwriters in issuing policies of indemnity covering the usual fire hazard.

So many disastrous fires had occurred as a result of Christmas decorations -- not only in retail stores where festive spectacles were common, but also in houses, churches and public buildings -- that "the practical prohibition of this class of display is deemed necessary."

Thanksgiving is this month and in recent years deep-frying turkeys has become increasingly popular. The cooking method requires placing the turkey in three gallons or more of oil, heated by propane. Fire professionals warn that cooking with deep-fat turkey fryers can be very dangerous as they have a high risk of tipping over, overheating, or spilling hot oil. That could lead to fires, burns, or other injuries.